To See & Do...
BY JESUS DE AVILA - EDITOR OF PVMIRROR

In Puerto Vallarta and its outskirts, entertainment is the name of the game!

The range of open air activities that the area of Banderas Bay offers is practically inexhaustible. There are options for every taste, even the most demanding ones.

For the romantic visitors:

The sunset boat excursions are essentially popular amongst this market of travelers. The options for the type of vessel to take you for a boat trip along the coast of the bay are as diverse as: sailboats, catamarans, trimarans, yachts and even galleons. In general the route taken during the sunset is similar and all of them guarantee (as long as it is not the rainy season) that its passengers will observe one of the most spectacular sunsets they have ever witnessed. The difference between these vessels lies in the dinner menu as well as in the activity staff and the service on board. Some of these excursions offer a menu of specialties and if you are able to pay the price, it is really worth while enjoying it. There are some vessels that instead of offering dinner on board, tie up at an exclusive area or beach where the passengers are being expected to be served a dinner or buffet under the moonlight, while perceiving the fragrance of the ocean and listening to the surf as it caresses the sand on the beach. For the convenience of the visitor, some of these romantic excursions offer the sale of a video that shows the most significant scenes of the trip, including also several shots of the couple.

The sunsets are definitely the most romantic heroes of our destination. There have been occasions when some sunsets were observed, even when it was raining, that simply take your breath away. Thanks to the strategic location, Banderas Bay is caressed daily by winds that come from different points at the same time. This natural activity generates a constant and varied movement of the clouds, thereby creating scenes in the sky that cannot be seen in any other place of our planet.

Here love stories are famous. Puerto Vallarta has been the generator and witness to many marriages that take place here. Inspired by the atmosphere, thousands of couples in love sign their complete surrender to love with an agreement for a new life together, while the sun happily celebrates by smiling down at them, and dancing with them while hiding in the horizon. I think that the sun leaves with a mischievous laughter because it knows that it will travel faster across the other side of the world this night, in order to return to see the newly wed couple after the honeymoon.

Walking along the cobble stone streets of the city, especially in the downtown area behind the Guadalupe church is also very romantic. The area allows stepping up and down the narrow sidewalks with total calmness forcing the couples to always walk hand in hand.

Another romantic activity is having dinner in one of the restaurants with spectacular views of the town or the bay.

A stroll along the boardwalk is definitely something that you should not miss to do while in Puerto Vallarta . At present this area is the perfect scenery for the sculptures that are exhibited. The following statues stand out: the seahorse, having been the preferred emblem of the city for many years, the sculpture of "nostalgia", which is considered the most romantic one, and the group of sculptures created by Colunga, attracting the attention of a hundred per cent of the people passing by. Amongst the locals the most romantic way, by tradition, to tell a woman that you love her and that you are ready for anything just to be requited is to sit down on one of the iron wrought banks or underneath a palm tree to watch the sunset. After the sun has disappeared it is very important to complete the afternoon by buying some typical food or sweets to share with your couple while talking and walking along the boardwalk showing yourself as a couple of lovers in love.

For the lovers of adventure:

Excursions to the villages of Cuale, San Sebastián del Oeste, Mascota & Talpa de Allende, San Blas and La Tobara are, amongst others, some of the trips that could turn into the most exciting and enriching adventure that you have ever experienced.

To get to know Puerto Vallarta and its outskirts there is nothing better than to explore it. In the everyday life of each village those details that reveal the cultural secrets of each place can be found and this may only be perceived through observation and living together with the people of every region. Adventurers appreciate this and that is exactly why they are fascinated by putting a backpack on their shoulders and starting to hike. Other options to visit the outskirts are by bicycle or motorcycle which can be rented through companies that even organize mountain excursions, or trips through the jungle. If you do not mind eating dust or taking a mud bath, the fashionable activity amongst locals and visitors is an excursions by dune buggies.

The western Sierra Madre, its jungle and its rivers are truly appealing. In the middle of paths penetrating deeply into the mountains, the adventurer always finds fantastic places full of colorful mystery having an impact on the mind and awakening more curiosity while the adrenalin increases its levels without disturbing the enchantment that each discovery generates.

Jeep safaris where the visitor can drive himself are also an excellent opportunity to enter a world showing you another face of Mexico.

Another widespread form of venturing is to take an excursion on horseback. All ranches that offer these trips have an excursion of approximately 5 hours, and some have trips that last various days allowing the adventurer to spend the night in open spaces or ranches, where an excellent coffee can be enjoyed at the light of a campfire while contemplating the starry sky.

In the southern area of the city headed for Mismaloya there is also a place where you can practice bungee jumping, a jump into the void. The downfall of the bungee is towards the ocean and the view while falling down is chilling.

For the active traveler:

Well, for those the Bay offers splendid places to go scuba diving or snorkeling, while on the beach parasailing or banana boat rides are, amongst others, the activities that are within reach of one's palm.

Something that without any doubt stands out is the practice of deep sea fishing. The Bay is rich in marine life and species like sailfish, marlin, tuna and dorado, amongst others that attract new and expert fishermen during the whole year. The options for vessels that offer fishing are varied and sufficient, nevertheless due to the high demand for this activity, it is recommended to reserve your fishing day in advance. During the last fifty years Puerto Vallarta has been the seat of the International Sailfish and Marlin Tournament, which is the tournament with the longest tradition in Mexico.

One of the most spectacular events that happens in the bay and that is a definite must, takes place between the months of November and March. This is when the humpback whales arrive in our bay to have their calves here. Once they are here, it is a daily spectacle to see them jump and to listen to the sounds they give off and through which they maintain their communication. Coming to our destination and not going on a boat trip to watch the whales is like having visited Paris without having gone up the Eiffel Tower.

Swimming with dolphins is another activity that also enjoys a high demand, whether it is in their natural habitat or in big pools which are found in some of the centers that offer this type of activity.

On land some of the hotels have tennis courts open to the public in general. If you would like to practice this sport, it is recommended to make reservations.

There are typical coastal villages surrounding Puerto Vallarta where you can appreciate Mexican folklore without sacrificing the services that an international tourist destination offers. Towns like Sayulita, San Francisco , Lo De Marcos, La Cruz de Huanacaxtle, Bucerías, amongst others, located in the north, and Mismaloya and Boca de Tomatlan towards the south, are found within short driving distances from each other. These are places where the inhabitants receive and show themselves openly to the visitor. Each village has its interesting history and offers peculiarities amongst which we find local dishes that can only be known and enjoyed through a personal visit. For people who love to learn more about the culture, renting a car to tour the whole bay to get to know the villages, is an excellent idea. Of course this activity is the most popular one amongst photography lovers.

Now when it is about class - there is nothing like playing golf. There are seven professional golf courses around Banderas Bay, amongst which the following ones stand out: Flamingos Golf which was the first one in the area, then there is Marina Vallarta Golf, which is one of the most recommended ones by the magazine Golf Digest, as well as Vista Vallarta Golf surrounded by exuberant vegetation, it was the seat of the World Golf Championship - EMC world Cup - during 2002.

At present Puerto Vallarta is considered an international golf destination and for the serious lovers of this sport, Vallarta is a golf paradise demanding an excellent preparation and a high level of concentration in one's game.

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